Ridley participated in the annual International Independent Schools’ Public Speaking Competition co-hosted by the Gray Academy and Balmoral Hall in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Nearly 150 students from over 40 teams throughout the globe were involved in this unique event that features a wide range of the speaking arts- debate, drama, and public speaking. Schools from Canada, the U.S.A., Bermuda, Korea, Peru, Scotland, England, Hong Kong, India and South Africa competed in a five-day tournament that brought together some of the best high school debaters and public speakers in the world.

Each participant selected three events from various categories that included: persuasive, after-dinner, and impromptu speaking; parliamentary and cross-examination debate; dramatic interpretation, interpretive reading, and radio newscast. Ridley was ably represented by returning junior, Bart Skala ’19 along with first time competitors Faraday Kenny ’18 and Rahul Walia ’19. Bart excelled in parliamentary debate and after-dinner speaking, reaching the finals of parliamentary debating, and narrowly missing the finals in the latter event. Newcomer Faraday Kenny competed successfully in persuasive speaking, interpretive reading, and parliamentary debating. Her speech on whether kneeling for the national anthem is un-patriotic was both topical and informative. Rahul Walia earned strong marks for his performances in impromptu speaking and persuasive speaking, in addition to good parliamentary debate rounds.

While in Winnipeg, all competitors enjoyed the unique experience of visiting the Canadian Museum of Human Rights. It was a fitting place for the top debaters and speakers to spend an afternoon exploring this spectacular venue in the heart of the city. The school venues were unique as well, situated as they each are on First Nations and Metis Treaty One lands. Organizers and hosts underscored this unique historical fact whenever possible.

The closing banquet was held at the Shaary Zadek Synagogue on the bank of the Assiniboine River, again underscoring Winnipeg’s diverse roots. Although Ridley did not claim any of the individual or team awards, each student demonstrated growth and progress throughout the tournament. All students are congratulated and thanked for their outstanding efforts and contributions.

Ahead next on the debate calendar is the National Qualifier at Country Day School on November 21- a tournament that involves both debate and public speaking – followed by the Fulford Cup hosted by Maclachlan College on November 25.

New students are always welcomed at this activity that meets Thursdays at 4:30 p.m. in room 203 of Lower School.

For this month’s installment of the TransfORming Our Globe blog series, we’re sharing the story of alumnus, Colt Iggulden ’03, whose diverse and creative career has led him back home, where he is hoping to change the way hard work is rewarded in Canadian organizations.

Colt began Ridley in 1998 and spent the next five years on campus. As the last cohort to receive a Grade 13 education, Colt and his peers were given an additional year at Ridley to discover and explore their passions. Colt was always invested in the arts – at Ridley and in his career to follow. He also recognized the importance of leadership skills; joining the Cadet Programme, the Drill Team and taking on the role as a Prefect in his final year.

“My time at Ridley helped lay a foundation of skills that I draw on daily. It taught me time management, collaboration, attentive listening and creative thinking. As well, my time in the theatre prepared me for public speaking and presenting with ease. Whether for a school project, Chapel announcements, being in the play, on a team or as a Prefect – these personal development skills were ones that found their way into the many areas of school life.” – Colt Iggulden ’03

After graduating, Colt explored several areas of the arts – both in his education and his professional career. Starting on the east coast, he studied photography at the International Centre of Photography in New York City. He was able to connect with his subjects on a deeper level. “I always enjoyed finding those stills after a shoot where you could see the flicker in an eye that was truly honest and revealed a glimpse into the soul of the subject,” recalls Colt. He enjoyed the challenge of capturing someone’s character and story in a single image. Colt also attended the Lee Strasberg Centre for the Performing Arts in Los Angeles, where he studied acting. He refined his ability to read body language and build relationships while on the west coast; helping both his television production and sales careers.

As Colt gained skills, explored creative avenues and sought out learning opportunities, he found himself working with alumnus, John Brunton ’73 at Insight Productions. He began as an intern and then spent the next 10 years working his way up the ladder, producing some of Canada’s most popular shows. He worked with big names like Rihanna, Queen, Bon Jovi and Maroon 5 and on shows like Big Brother Canada and Canadian Idol. He thrived in the fast-paced and competitive nature of television. The collaboration and opportunity to learn made up for the long hours he put in to succeed.

“Ridley teaches its students how to be able to adapt to myriad situations. It is because of these skills learned that I have been able to move and adapt more readily into the differing careers that I have been fortunate to pursue.” – Colt Iggulden ’03

If you had asked Colt years ago if his media career would contribute to a successful sales career, he would have said no, but his new career path would indicate the opposite.

When the opportunity arose to join his father’s family business, Colt jumped at the chance to bring his ideas to P.I. Incentives. Colt’s father, Paul Iggulden ’72, started P.I. Incentives in 1990; bringing rewards to employees through incentive programmes. Over 20 years later – as businesses have had to adapt and compete – Colt and his sister, Britt decided they needed to bring something new to the table. With the help of Scott Snowden ’97 (who brought their platform to life), the siblings launched WRKSHOP. WRKSHOP is a state of the art reward point platform that allows its members access to premium brands at the most competitive prices. With no initiation, setup or membership fees, registered organizations of WRKSHOP have the option to reward points to their employees for achieving milestones and accomplishments. Members can also purchase points at any time to save on hundreds of products from SONOS, Links of London, Riedel, Callaway and more. “Organizations are made up of such diverse groups of people, with a host of interests and passions both inside and outside the workplace. Why not let people be rewarded with items that speak to those interests? Why not give them the choice to choose their own reward?” asks Colt.

Beyond providing a platform that celebrates the personality of employees, organizations also reap rewards when it comes to partnering with WRKSHOP and P.I. Incentives. He shared that at P.I. Incentives, over 80% of their team has been with them for over 10 years, proving the worth of reward. The more an employee feels they are appreciated, the harder they work and the longer they stay with their employer. A positive work environment is important for both the company and its employees. Colt is hoping that (with his own hard work and dedication) WRKSHOP can become the leading incentive programme in Canada. Although his journey has been winding, taking him down many paths, Colt is eager to see where he and his family can take both P.I. Incentives and WRKSHOP.

With as many experiences as he’s had, Colt had some wonderful advice for Ridleians who are looking to their futures:

“Try working in various industries. I worked during the summers landscaping, I gave tours on a tour bus and interned on the production side of various TV shows. These experiences in my career infancy helped me harness different skills that would turn out to be vital in my career now. I learned that you have to get your hands dirty, that if you want to capture attention you better be engaged in your audience, and that when the pressure is on, that’s when real leadership is most important. Don’t be afraid to reach out to contacts and continue to grow your contact pool. Set goals and then reset them regularly. Stand behind your ideas. Even if the first ones don’t take, keep an entrepreneurial spirit alive. Think outside the box. Sometimes the best ideas are the ones that break the mold.” – Colt Iggulden ’03

TransfORming Our Globe is a blog series where we share the exciting stories of alumni who are leading flourishing lives and changing the world. It is important to Ridley College to support our alumni and share the stories of Old Ridleians, who discovered their passion and found success and happiness down the path of their choosing.

Do you know of any classmates that are living flourishing lives or transforming our globe? Email any suggestions for the TransfORming Our Globe blog series to development@ridleycollege.com or use the form below.

Alison Loat ’94Alison Loat ’94 is the Co-Founder and Executive Director (2008-2015) of Samara; a non-partisan charitable organization that works to improve political participation in Canada. Samara was formed out of a belief in the importance of public service and public leadership, and their research and educational programming began with the initiation of Canada’s first-ever series of exit interviews with 65 former Members of Parliament. Alison is the co-author of Tragedy in the Commons: Former Members of Parliament Speak Out About Canada’s Failing Democracy, published in April 2014. She previously worked at McKinsey & Company and co-founded Canada25; an organization that successfully involved thousands of Canadians under 35 in the development of public policy. For her public service work with Canada25, she was chosen as one of Canada’s Top 25 under 30 by Maclean’s magazine and in 2005 she received the Public Policy Forum Young Leaders Award. She was also an associate fellow and instructor at the School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Toronto from 2007-2014. Alison is a member of the Premier of Ontario’s Highly Skilled Workforce Expert Panel, and is on the board of the Banff Forum. She served as the past president of the Canadian Club of Toronto, a director of the Toronto Community Foundation and a member of the Harvard Kennedy School’s Alumni Board. Alison has degrees from Queen’s University (BAH) and the Harvard Kennedy School (MPP).

Yanick Pagé ‘84Yanick Pagé is a Portfolio Manager and Senior Vice-President of National Bank Financial Wealth Management (1990 to present); a National Bank of Canada company, working to meet the financial life goals of families and investors across Canada. Yanick has worked in the investment industry for his entire career. Previous experience includes being a Portfolio Manager for estates, trusts and court-appointed accounts at General Trust of Canada (1987-1990). Today, the Pagé/Lamontagne Advisory Group manages the accumulated wealth of prominent families in Quebec and is recognized as a significant team in the industry. Yanick was a Board of Governor Member (1998-2002) for the University of Moncton, where he acted as Chair of the Investment Committee from 2000 to 2006. He has also been involved in charities; serving on the Revenue Committee of United Way/Centraide for six years. Yanick has a Bachelor of Commerce and Economics from Bishop’s University. He is keenly interested in skiing, travelling and wine tasting, among other things.

In another Ridley College first, the Prep Girls Hockey team hosted Team China Tuesday evening for an exhibition match at Tiger Arena and a meal in the Great Hall. The touring team from the world’s most populous nation was made up of nine National team athletes including team captain Zhang Mengying who was a member of the Olympic team in Sochi Russia in 2014.

It was a great match with plenty of physicality and skill. The Tigers held the territorial advantage through much of the game and scored a goal in each period leading 3-0 in the third. Part way through the final stanza, China seemed to find another gear leading to multiple quality scoring chances and the visitors’ loan goal of the game which ended in a 3-1 final.

After the match, Coach Wark and the Tigers hosted the Chinese team for a meal in the Great Hall and an abbreviated tour of campus.

This great international event demonstrates the growth of the game on the Asian continent that Ridley saw firsthand last April when Coach McCourt, Coach Barron and Director of Athletics, Jay Tredway visited a guest coach at a camp in Beijing and a tour and consult with multiple schools that are endeavoring to make Canada’s game their game as well.

It is a unique time in the evolution of hockey in China and Ridley’s developing interaction in supporting their efforts to grow the game will continue.

By Susan Hazell, Director of Development

Every fall, independent schools, universities and colleges launch their annual campaign appeal. The goals of annual giving are many, but one of the key aspects is to encourage alumni, parents, past parents, faculty and staff to participate and support the more immediate needs of the institution, its students and its faculty.

Here are some key points about the importance of our Annual Giving Campaign.

Why does the school need my support?

The Annual Giving Campaign is the foundation for all fundraising. Currently at Ridley, you may be surprised to learn that tuition fees cover only 84% of the school’s operating budget. The Annual Giving Campaign is the largest and most important fundraising effort that helps to bridge the tuition gap, support Ridley’s highest priorities, expand opportunities for student growth, and transform students’ lives. Donations to the Annual Giving Campaign have an immediate impact on students today and tomorrow.

The school doesn’t look like it needs my support.

Like all independent schools, Ridley College relies on donations to assist the school in offering an education that empowers for a lifetime. All buildings and programmes at Ridley have been made possible thanks to the generosity of past donors – alumni, parents, faculty and staff and friends of the school. The excellent courses, many extracurricular activities, well-qualified faculty, maintenance and enhancement of our campus, new capital items, up to date IT resources all come at a price. To be able to continue to offer the wonderful programmes and opportunities we currently do, we need your help. In addition, scholarships and bursaries are an important part of our fundraising efforts to ensure that Ridley can attract the best and the brightest to our school, in an ever-increasing competitive market place with other independent boarding and day schools.

How will my gift actually help?

Every member of the Ridley family is a stakeholder. As a community, we are relying on each other and your tax-deductible contributions to meet Ridley’s needs and deliver an outstanding educational experience to our students. All gifts, regardless of size, have the power to inspire others. When we pool our resources together, we can make a significant impact on the quality of the Ridley experience for our students.

Where do Annual Giving Campaign dollars go?

Annual Giving Campaign donations are designated per the donor’s wishes, which may be for one of the identified projects of the school, or for an area of specific interest to the donor (a sports programme, Cadets, the Arts, robotics, etc.), or to unrestricted (the school’s greatest need).

What is the Annual Giving Campaign at Ridley for 2017-18?

At Ridley, we have just launched our annual campaign ‘Unlock Potential’. We have identified three key needs this year: 1) scholarships and bursaries; 2) the Lower School Library project (Phase II); and 3) Supporting the Best Educators. To learn more, please visit our website and look for your annual giving appeal package in the mail!

Every student counts. Every gift counts. Please consider your participation and support and help us ‘Unlock Potential’!